Recently, flooding has caused major damage all across Missouri. Many have taken damage to their homes and businesses or were even forced out of their homes. Some people got lucky with a quick and easy clean up, while other lives were completely devastated. Entire homes were seen floating down rivers. In both Illinois and Missouri, deaths occurred.

This flooding was caused by a very large and unusual amount of rainfall during the week of Christmas. Once the rainfall came, the river overflowed, causing major damage.

Some towns were hit harder than others, especially the town of Pacific. Flood damage was so significant that Governor of Missouri Jay Nixon visited the town.

Zach Baldwin, a Pacific resident, said “I could describe a lot of wreckage for those houses nearest the river, many of houses were completely submerged in water. Rocks and gravel under certain portions of railroad track were washed out, causing sagging. There was a particular section of railroad tracks that was hit so hard that rocks under them washed away, and the tracks themselves were bent and warped. Most people weren’t as concerned as the people who lost everything. But the people who did lose everything were very distraught, needing shelter and supplies from the various relief groups in the area. Also, there were a few teenagers who went down to the abandoned shops and stores near the flood waters to loot them, causing more unnecessary damage.”

Even here in New Haven, some people experienced basement flooding.. Abigail Perdue, senior at New Haven High School, experienced flooding.

She stated, “It was the weirdest thing. The basement floods sometimes, but in the storage room, not in the family room. I got up and told my parents that the basement flooded and they didn't think anything of it yet. When I returned to the basement, my boyfriend, Cole, had already started unplugging the appliances to save them. In the morning, the basement was a huge puddle.“

The effects were felt all over Missouri, even as far out as Valley Park, where floods caused business closings. One such business was The Funny Bone (a comedy club/bar).

These employees expressed strong opinions; one employee stated, “It’s a shame, a lot of people lost their jobs.”

This has clearly been a long and stressful occurrence for the people of Missouri, but all we can do now is hope for a quick recovery and cleanup.